USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Steuben County, Indiana, together withbiographies of representative citizens > Part 70
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Parker returned home. After the death of his father he bough the homestead, where he lived till 1881, when he bought his pres- ent home on section 4, Salem Township. He owns 100 acres of land, which is well improved. He married Melinda Haines, daughter of William Haines. They have five sons-George, Will- iam T., Earl, Orla J. and Logan E.
Abdalla Sams was born in Richland County, Ohio, in 1833. In 1835 his father, David Sams, moved to Steuben County, Ind., and settled in Jackson Township, where he was reared and educated. In February, 1865, he enlisted in the Fifty-second Indiana Infantry and served till after the close of the war, a period of about eight months. He was married to Mary Simmons, a native of Jackson Township, Steuben County, born in 1837, a daughter of Cephas Simmons, an early settler of that township, a native of Vermont, coming to this county from his native State. Mr. and Mrs. Sams have five children-Albert, Lafayette, Lewis, Josephine and Effie. They have lost three children-Eddie, died August, 1872, aged twelve years, and two died in infancy. Mr. Sams has always followed agricultural pursuits. He bought the farm where he now lives in 1863. It contains 139 acres of choice land, and is located in the northwest quarter of section 4, Salem Township. His residence and farm buildings are among the best in the township.
Christopher Shade was born in Perry County, Pa., in 1828, and when three years of age was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he was reared and educated. He learned the carpenter's trade in his youth and worked at it about twenty years. He was married in Ohio to Tirzah Ann Pease, daughter of Luman and Gratia (Hawks) Pease. Her mother died many years ago and her father married again and lives in Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Shade have been born three children-Judson, Zoe Gratia and Sarah Sophia. In the spring of 1858 Mr. Shade moved to Steuben County, Ind., and settled in Salem Township. In the fall of 1859 he bought the farın where he now lives on section 31. There were no improve- ments on his land at that time, but it is now one of the finest farms in the township. His father, Christopher Shade, Sr., came to this county the same year with his family and settled on section 32, Salem Township, where he died Sept. 25, 1859. His wife survived till May 28, 1879. They had a family of five children, three of whom are living-Christopher and David, of Salem Township, and Abraham, of Paulding County, Ohio. Ann died Jan. 20, 1861,
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and Richard, Feb. 15, 1879. The latter served two years and three months in the war of the Rebellion. Christopher Shade, Jr., was a soldier in the same war nine months, and was discharged in Nashville, Tenn., at the close of the war, arriving home July 4, 1865.
Marion Shade, the eldest son of Richard and Sarah E. (Chasey) Shade, resides on section 31, Salem Township, on part of the home- stead of his father. Richard Shade was born in Richland County, Ohio, in 1833, and was there reared to manhood, and married Sarah E. Chasey, a native of Ohio, born in 1835. In 1858 they moved to Steuben County, Ind., and settled on section 32, Salem Township. In September, 1864, Mr. Shade enlisted in the Twenty- ninth Indiana Infantry, and served till the close of the war. He died on the old homestead Feb. 15, 1878, leaving a widow and ten children. Marion, the eldest son, was reared in Salem Township, receiving a common-school education. Since reaching manhood he has given his attention to agriculture and is now one of the rising young farmers of the township. He married Ella B. Parsons, daughter of George W. Parsons, of Crawford County, Ohio.
Adam Shaffstall was born in Crawford County, Ohio, Dec. 18, 1836, a son of Christian and Christina (Rowe) Shaffstall, natives of Dauphin County, Pa., his father born Aug. 23, 1807, and his mother in 1809. After his marriage Christian Shaffstall moved to Crawford County, Ohio, where he followed the occupations of farming and shoemaking till the fall of 1846, when he came to Steuben County, and settled on section 21, Salem Township, ex- changing his farm in Ohio for land here, which he improved, liv- ing on it till his death, Nov. 15, 1880. His family consisted of ten children, the youngest three born in Steuben County. Eight are living-Lovina, wife of Hollister Slick; Susan, widow of William Lease; Adam; Franklin; Amanda, of Kendallville; Na- thaniel; Elmira, wife of George Carey; Cornelia, wife of H. J. Zimmerman, of Altamont, Labette Co., Kas. Adam owns and oc- cupies forty acres of the original homestead, which is the south half of the northwest quarter of section 21. He enlisted in the war of the Rebellion June 27, 1861, in Company A, Twenty-first Indi- ana Infantry. Eighteen months later the regiment was converted into the First Indiana Heavy Artillery, and served as such the re- mainder of their term of service. They were in Maryland and Virginia some time, thence to Ship Island, where they remained
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six weeks; thence to the mouth of the Mississippi River, imme- diately after the surrender of Forts Jackson and Phillips, and from there to New Orleans. They participated in the battle of Baton Rouge, Banks's Red River Expedition, and many other memor- able battles. Mr. Shaffstall was never in the hospital while in the service. He was discharged July 31, 1864. Since the war he has given his attention exclusively to agriculture. He married Hannah Hogeboom, a native of Medina County, Ohio, born Feb. 6, 1846, daughter of Bartholomew and Maria (Hill) Hogeboom, natives of New York. Mr. Hogeboom moved to Ohio after his marriage, and in the fall of 1865 came to Steuben County. Subsequently moved to Fulton County, Ohio, where his wife died and he still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Shaffstall have one daughter-Carrie M., born Nov. 13. 1868.
Franklin Shaffstall, a son of Christian and Christina Shaff- stall, was born in Crawford County, Ohio, Dec. 23, 1842, and came with his parents to Steuben County, Ind., in 1846. He was reared and educated in this county, remaining at home till the breaking out of the Rebellion. He enlisted in October, 1862, in the Twenty-first Indiana Infantry, which was afterward converted into the First Indiana Heavy Artillery, and served three years. He participa- ted in all the engagements of the regiment, never being absent on account of sickness or wounds. He took part in the siege of Port Huron, and Banks's Red River expedition. He was discharged at Baton Rouge, Oct. 24, 1865. After his return from the war he turned his attention to agriculture. He was married Feb. 28, 1868, to Annie Day, a native of Fremont, Ind., born March 16, 1849, a daughter of W. H. H. and Louisa Day. They have three children-Lura, Libbie and Nellie. In December, 1870, Mr. Shaffstall bought his farm on the southeast quarter of section 16, of L. N. Bodley. The land was originally school land and was bonght of the State by James Groesbeck, who cleared ten acres and built a log cabin in which he lived till his death. The farm contains sixty-eight acres, sixty acres of which are improved. The improvements with the exception of those made by Mr. Groesbeck have all been made by Mr. Shaffstall. The log cabin has been con- verted into a stable and he has erected a substantial frame resi- dence. Mrs. Shaffstall's parents settled in Fremont, in 1847. Her father having been elected County Treasurer, in December, 1857, they moved to Angola, where her mother died July 26, 1876. In November, 1879, her father moved to Missouri, where he still lives. 48
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They had a family of five children-Adelbert F., foreman of the Republican office, Angola; Augusta A., wife of James Cappes, of Moberly, Mo .; Annie L .; Alfred H., of California, and Clara, wife of J. P. Sommers, of Colorado. Mr. Day enlisted as private in 1862 in the Thirtieth Indiana Infantry, and was subsequently promoted to Second Lieutenant. He served two and a half years, when he resigned on account of ill health.
John A. Shaffstall, furniture dealer, Hudson, Ind., is a son of Abraham Shaffstall, who, with his family, settled in Salem Town- ship in October, 1854, on a tract of land he had purchased the preceding year, located on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 22. A log house had been built and about thirty acres had been partially cleared. Mr. Shaffstall improved his land, re- siding there about ten years, when he sold it to Philip H. Meas, and bought 160 acres on section 26, where he lived till 1876. A year or two later he went to Kansas, where he died June 20, 1882. He was twice married. His first wife, Louisa Cobb, died Aug. 8, 1847, leaving four children, two of whom are living- John A. and Catherine, wife of Charles Boyce, of Door County, Wis. In 1849 he married Susan Coverly , a native of Virginia, now living in Lincoln County, Kas. To them were born three sons and three daughters. John A. is the only representative of his father's family in Steuben County. He was born in Crawford County, Ohio, in 1837. In the spring of 1862 he went to Door County, Wis., where he lived ten years. Jnne 27, 1861, he en- listed in Company H, Nineteenth Indiana Infantry, but was dis- charged a few weeks later on account of ill health. In October of the same year he again enlisted in Company H, Thirtieth Indiana Infantry and served about two months when he was again dis- charged. In 1872 he returned to Indiana and in 1877 engaged in his present business. He was married Jan. 1, 1863, to Hannah Peterson, a native of Norway. They have one son-Albert H., born in Wisconsin, Feb. 28, 1865.
Jesse Shields resides on the southwest quarter of section 30, where his father, Richard Shields, settled in the spring of 1851. Richard Shields was born in Lincolnshire, Eng., in 1796, and was there married to Harriet Brooks. They came to the United States and settled in Richland County, Ohio, where they lived till the spring of 1851, and then moved to Steuben County, Ind., and set- tled in Salem Township, where Mr. Shields died in 1857, and Mrs. Shields in May, 1884, in the seventy-fifth year of her age. Jesse
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Shields was born in Richland County, Ohio, in October, 1848. He married Florence Ellen Crossley, daughter of Nathan and El- mira (Sanders) Crossley, of Fairfield Township, De Kalb Co., Ind. They have two children -- Esther and Albert. Mr. Shields' farm contains eighty acres of valuable land and his improvements are among the best in the county. He is an influential citizen and one of the representative farmers of Salem Township.
George Stover, section 12, Salem Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, Aug. 31, 1838. His father, Ephraim Stover, was born in Chester County, Pa., April 12, 1790, and was reared among strangers, his mother dying when he was a child. He went to Stark County, Ohio, where he married Margaret Noll. In October, 1834, they moved to Steuben County, Ind., and settled on section 12, Salem Township, where they improved a farm. The mother died March 1, 1854, and the father April 17, 1878. They had a family of seven children, three born in Ohio and four in Steuben County-James, Samuel, George, Nancy (now of Lagrange County, Ind.), Isaac (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), Rachel C. (of Lagrange County). George Stover was reared and educated in Steuben County. He has always lived on the homestead which he bought in 1872. He was married Jan. 1, 1868, to Sarah Fackler, daughter of Jacob and Isabell Fackler, who came to Steuben County from Huron County, Ohio, April, 1865, and settled on section 10, Salem Township, where Mrs. Fackler now lives and where Mr. Fackler died in June, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Stover have three children --- Vernon G., Edith M. and Walter C.
Samuel Stover, the second son of Ephraim and Margaret (Noll) Stover, was born in Stark County, Ohio, Aug. 26, 1836, and was bronght by his parents to Steuben County in 1838. His education was obtained in the district school, but his father being in limited circumstances his services were early required on the farm and his school-days were of short duration. His first farm was on section 12, and after getting it partially improved he sold it to his brother George. In February, 1872, he bought the farm on the northwest quarter of section 13, where he now lives, of Christopher Rhinehart. This land was entered from the Government by a Mr. Finch, and the first improvements were made by William Meek. It contains 160 acres of land, 140 acres being improved. The residence was built by Mr. Meek. Mr. Stover built the barn, which is large and commodious, and has made other valuable improvements. He is a thrifty, energetic farmer, and one of the representative citizens of
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the county. He was married in 1866 to Emeline Ransburg, daughter of Leander Ransburg, of Salem Township,
George W. Strawser resides on section 21, Salem Township, where he owns a farm of 170 acres, bought of John Zimmerman in 1881. He has been a resident of Steuben County since 1872, and has taken an active interest in all the projects of public benefit. He was born in Ross County, Ohio, and in 1843 removed with his par- ents to Defiance County in the same State, where he grew to man- hood. Aug. 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Thirty-eighth Ohio Infantry, and served till July, 1865, wanting only one month of four years. He was Color Bearer of his regiment in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Jonesboro, where he was wounded. At the battle of Jonesboro his regiment lost 186 men including the Colonel and six other commis- sioned officers. He recovered from his wound sufficiently to join his regiment at Goldsboro, and accompanied it to Washington. The Thirty-eighth Ohio did much hard fighting and rendered valuable service in the war of the Rebellion. It was commanded by six different Colonels. Colonel Phillips fell at Mission Ridge, Colonel Choate at Goldsboro, and Colonel Irving lost a leg at Atlanta, Aug.6, 1864. After the war Mr. Strawser returned to Ohio. He married Mrs. Rhoda J. (Rose) Higbea, widow of - Higbea, who died while in the service of his country, at Memphis, Tenn., April 5, 1863. Mr. and Mrs. Strawser have five children-W. T. Sherman, Amanda J., George D., Mary C. and John W. Mrs. Strawser has one son by her former marriage-Alber J. Higbea.
Andrew J. Sutherland, section 17, Salem Township, was born in Syracuse, N. Y., in 1829, a son of Justice Sutherland, who came with his family to Steuben County in the fall of 1844 and settled on section 16, Salem Township, on a tract of unimproved land. Justice Sutherland built a house, and setout an orchard, and cleared about twenty-five acres of his land, living on the place till 1858, when he moved to Fillmore County, Minn., where he lived till his death. Of a family of seven children, five accompanied their par- ents to Steuben County, of whom only Andrew J. now resides here. He followed farming till the breaking out of the Rebellion, and in 1862 enlisted in Company B, One Hundredth Indiana In- fantry, and served three years; was absent from his regiment but thirty days during his term of enlistment, participating in all the important engagements of the regiment. In 1865 he went to
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Minnesota and thence to Michigan, returning to Steuben County in 1870.
Leroy Tubbs, deceased, was born in Huron County, Ohio, July 14, 1824, a son of Alfred and Christina Tubbs, natives of New York. When a child he went with his parents to Richland County, Ohio, and in 1855 accompanied them to Steuben County, Ind. He was married in Richland County to Rhoda J. Hills, a native of that county, born Feb. 18, 1827, daughter of John and Betsy Hills, natives of New York. Mr. Tubbs bought his land of his father, and immediately set to work to improve it. His first house was a board shanty, but the same season he built a log house into which he moved his family the following autumn. In 1869 he built a two- story frame residence, which is one of the best in the township. He cleared sixty-five of his eighty acres and made his farm one of the most valuable in the township. He died Aug. 26, 1884. He was an ambitious, hard-working man, and the labor of clearing and improving a heavily timbered farm was doubtless the cause of the disease which culminated in his death. He left a wife and five children-Ida, of Salem Township; Elizabeth, wife of H. H. Rit- ter; Sarah, wife of John Stumpf; Einma, wife of Joseph Wolf, and Franklin. One son, John A., died at the age of sixteen months. Franklin lives at the old homestead and has charge of the farm. He was born in Salem Township in 1859. He married Barbara Ritter and has one child-Mabel.
John H. Wagner, druggist and Postmaster, Hudson, Ind., was born in Salem Township in 1855, a son of Jacob Wagner, who came to Steuben County in 1853. He was reared and educated in his native county, remaining on the farm with his parents till man- hood. He followed agricultural pursuits till January, 1884, when he moved to Hudson. The following October he bought the drug business of Mr. Zimmerman. He keeps a full assortment of every- thing in his line, including drugs, medicines, paints, oils, toilet articles and notions. He is a genial, courteous young man and a popular tradesman. He has a constantly increasing trade, and is a valuable addition to the business men of Hudson. Mr. Wagner married Emma Gillen, daughter of John Gillen, one of the early settlers of De Kalb County. They have one son-Ora.
John Wilson, one of the pioneers of 1836, was born in Pennsyl- vania, Feb. 6, 1800, and when a child removed with his parents to Cayuga County, N. Y. Jan. 18, 1821, he was married in Rich- land County, Ohio, to Dinah Bodley, a native of Cayuga County,
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N. Y., and a former schoolmate. Mr. Wilson was reared a farmer. In his early life he taught school in the winter months several years, and also taught singing schools. He removed to Indiana in 1836 and settled on section 3, Salem Township, Steuben County, en- tering eighty acres of land from the Government. They came from Richland County with ox-teams, in company with John and Charles Bodley, both of whom settled in Salem Township. There was but one house in the township at that time, a log structure on the farm now owned by the E. T. Hammond estate. Mr. Wilson's was the second. His wife died in 1840, and in 1846 he sold his farm and. made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Brown, till his death, Nov. 4, 1880. Mr. Wilson united with the Presbyterian church when twenty years of age, and after getting his cabin built invited his neighbors to hold religions services there. He organized the first Sunday-school in the township at his house. He lived a consistent, Christian life, and at his death left the example of a well-spent life. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had a family of nine children, seven born in Ohio and two in Steuben County-Mary Jane, died in September, 1847, aged twenty-one years; Margaret Ann, wife of John Colwell; Elizabeth C., wife of Samuel Brown; Kate E., wife of Edmund Shepardson; Melcena, wife of Sylvester Holiday; James H .; Edwin H .; Abram Devitt, deceased; Rebecca D., wife of Lucius Meeks.
Otis Wisel was born in Watertown, N. Y., in 1810, the second son of David Wisel. The Wisel family was one of the pioneer families of 1836. Oct. 25, of that year, David and his family, consisting at that time of his wife and three youngest children, and his two eldest sons and their families, settled in Salem Town- ship. David settled on section 10, entering the southwest quarter from the Government. David, Jr., entered forty acres of the south- east quarter of section 9, and Otis bought fifty acres of his father. The father erected a log house and improved twenty acres, living here till his death in 1844. His family consisted of ten children- David, Otis, Ira, Phœbe and Laura came with him to Indiana. The others remained in New York, although all came later to Steuben County. Ira enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in a Wisconsin regiment and died while in the service. Phoebe married Jacob Higgins and moved to Wisconsin; Laura married Andrew Henry and moved to Lenox, Iowa. David, Jr., remained in Salein Town- ship till 1853, when he moved to Fillmore County, Minn., where he lived till 1866, when his house was destroyed by a flood and he
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was drowned. Otis Wisel improved fifty acres of land, on which he settled, living there till the spring of 1853, when he bought a quarter-section on 22, where he still lives. He has been a hard working man, and cleared thirty acres of his first purchase. He owns 160 acres where he lives, 100 acres improved, sixty of which he cleared with his own hands. He also owns eighty acres of land on section 20. He was married in New York, to Betsey Van Pelt, a native of Montgomery County, N. Y., born in 1811. They have four children-Otis, Jr .; Daniel R., born March 9, 1837, was the second child born in Salem Township; Elizabeth and George. David Wisel, Sr., father of Otis Wisel, Sr., was born in Rhode Is- land in 1777, and was the seventh son in the seventh generation of seventh sons, the name of each being David, and all up to this David owned and operated the same foundry in Providence, R. I.
John C. Whysong, a son of Harrison and Amy Whysong, was born in Fayette County, Pa., in 1834. Harrison Whysong was born in Somerset County, Pa., in 1812, and when a boy his parents moved to Fayette County, where he was reared, and married in 1832 to Amy Moore, a native of Alleghany County, Md. In 1851 he moved to Hardin County, Ohio, and in 1861 to De Kalb County, Ind., coming to Steuben County in 1863. He bought a farm of Jesse Rutan, who made the first improvements and built a log-cabin. Mr. Whysong made many improvements, and in 1875 built his present residence. To Mr. and Mrs. Whysong were born twelve children, ten of whom are living-three sons and seven daughters. John C. Whysong remained with his parents till after their settlement in De Kalb County. He remained but a short time in Indiana, returning to Ohio. He soon came again to Indi- ana and for some time lived with Abraham McCoy, of Smithfield Township, De Kalb County. Soon after the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, Sept. 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Thirtieth Indiana Infantry. He participated with his regiment in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth and Battle Creek. At Stone River he was wounded severely, but at his urgent request returned to his regiment at the end of seventeen days, and was assigned to light duty. At the battle of Chickamauga he was again injured, receiv- ing several slight wounds. He was soon after appointed Recruiting Sergeant, reporting to Colonel C. Baker at Indianapolis, and was sent to De Kalb County. He served in this capacity six months, and then rejoined his regiment at Dalton, Ga., and participated in the Atlanta campaign, at the close of which, his time having ex-
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pired, he returned with his regiment to Indianapolis, and was mustered out Sept. 27, 1864. He was a gallant, faithful soldier, and made an honorable record. He filled all the positions of non- commissioned officers, and the latter part of his term served as Second Lieutenant although he was not mustered as such. Imme- diately upon his return from the service he was appointed to serve notice on drafted men, a draft having just taken place. He was also engaged in apprehending and arresting deserters till the close- of the war. Mr. Whysong was married May 3, 1865, to Rebecca A. Fry, a native of Guernsey County, Ohio. She moved to De Kalb County with her stepfather, A. J. Williams. She died Sept. 26, 1874, leaving a son and daughter-Aletta B. and James B. He afterward married Mrs. Lottie J. Ream, daughter of George Frederick, of De Kalb County. They have two children-Amy and Ida. Mr. Whysong is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and is serving his third term as Master of Hiawatha Lodge, No. 528, Hudson.
Henry Wright is a native of Salem Township, born May 29, 1850, a son of Elbridge and grandson of Jeptha Wright. Jeptha Wright was born in New Hampshire in June, 1788, and was married in his native State to Betsey Emerson. Soon after their marriage they moved to New York State, where their family of ten children was born. In early life he worked at the blacksmith's trade, but later bought a farm in Orleans County, N. Y. In 1837 he moved to Ypsilanti, Mich., where he bought an improved farm of eighty acres. The following fall he came to Steuben County for the pur- pose of getting land for his sons, several of whom had grown to manhood. He bought 133 acres on section 19, Salem Township. Being pleased with the country he decided to settle here, and ac- cordingly returned to Michigan, and the following January moved his family to the pioneer home. The land he had bought was all unimproved. He built a log cabin and began at once to clear the land and prepare it for cultivation. His wife died May 19, 1848, and he subsequently married again. His second wife died March 6, 1872. He died in June, 1874, lacking only three days of being eight-six years old. But three of his children are living-Edward, of Fairfield Township, De Kalb County; Nathaniel E., living on the homestead, and Albert, of Oregon. The deceased who came with their parents to Steuben County were-Mary Jane, who died July 15, 1841, was the wife of Edmond Taylor; Heman, died in 1847, leaving a family; Richard, died March 24, 1857, also left a
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